The individuals who seem “to get away” with sexual assault are usually the ones who have a high standing in society. In contrast, alleged perpetrators who get convicted are, more often than not, people of colour and minorities. The reason for such sexual deviance may be due to the position of power held by the perpetrators. The social theory that can be applied to this phenomenon is that it is a learned behaviour that is through media influence and life experiences.
The incidents of sexual assault that occurred at Missoula can occur in Canadian universities, as sexual deviants can be found everywhere. However, safety measures can help prevent many such incidents, if not all.
Educating people early in their lives about appropriate sexual conduct may help in the reduction of these cases. Developing the ability to detect early signs of abuse can also help in prevention. If an individual feels unsafe, they should voice their fears or confide in a trusted individual so they may get the required help in time. Until sexual assault is proven, both parties should ethically remain blameless. Advertisements such as “Consent Tea” and “It’s on Us” are targeted towards the general public to make them aware of this issue. However, the effectiveness of these advertisements remains conclusively unknown.
The similarity between Missoula (Fitzgerald, 2015), Jian Gomeshi (Kennedy, 2016), and the Yale student case (Altimari, 2019) is that they all were acquitted of the charges. However, the profiles of Missoula and Jian Gomeshi were similar in regards to their influential social standing, in contrast to the Yale students who belonged to Afghanistan and faced a biased trial by the university. The cases that involve the assault of a victim who is under alcohol influence must not be approached differently, as peer pressure sways people’s judgment. Even if they forget the events that transpired, exploiting their drunken state is immoral and must not relieve the perpetrator of the crime.
References
Altimari, D. (2019, December 13). Former Yale student who was expelled after a jury acquitted him of sexual assault files lawsuit against the university. Retrieved from Hartford Courant: https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-yale-sexual-assault-lawsuit-20191213-ehcs6gqtjrcrhlvol7z7t5sjo4-story.html
Fitzgerald, B. (2015, July). Krakauer’s Missoula and the scrutiny of reporters who cover rape. Retrieved from Columbia Journalism Review: https://www.cjr.org/analysis/the_scrutiny_of_reporters_who_cover_rape.php
Kennedy, M. (2016, March 24). Jian Ghomeshi, Former CBC Host, Acquitted Of Sexual Assault Charges. Retrieved from npr.org: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/03/24/471751505/jian-ghomeshi-former-cbc-host-acquitted-of-sexual-assault-charges
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